Toilet-brush.



w. H. BRIDGES,

TOILET BRUSH.

APPLICATION FILED mun. 1915. RENEWED MAY 13, 1918.

Patented J uly .16, 1918.

MMQ MM UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

WILLIAM H. BRIDGES, or GRAND RArIDs vrroHIGaN, ASSIGNOR To BENJAMINFELD, or FULTON COUNTY, GEORGIA.

TOILET BRU SI-I.

Application filed July 17, 1915, Serial No. 40,523. Renewed May 13,1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. BRIDGES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan,have invented certain means whereby when the handle of a toilet brushhaving folding bristle holders is drawn backward from the brush frame aspace will be made sufficiently long to allow the bristles to folddownward between the inner end of the handle and the first bristleholder; third, to so construct a brush of the kind mentioned that whenthe handle is moved forward into the frame and the bristles arepositioned at right angles with the frame there will be no space leftbetween the end of the handle and the bristles; fourth, to'provide ameans whereby one end of the bristle holder frame will be drawn backinto the brush frame when the handle is drawn outward and the bristlesare folded frame.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan of the brush with the bristlesremoved from the bristleholders; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of thebrush frame practically onthe line a", a:

of Fig. 1 showing the form and position of the plate that actuates thebristle holders Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the metal frame thatactuates the plate that aetuates the bristle holders; Fig. 4 is a planof the same; Fig.5 is a plan of the plate that carries the bristleholders; Fig. 6- is a transverse section of the brush frame practicallyon the line y, y of Fig.- 1; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectionSpecification of Letters'Pate'nt.

Patented July '16, 1918.

Serial No. 234,340.

of the brush frame practically on the line a, e of Fig. 1, showing thebristles and bristle holders in folded positions; Fig. 8 is a likesectional view of the brush frame with the bristles at right angles withthe frame and the handle locked in place to hold the bristles in workingposition. I

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the construction of this brush I form a frame, A, preferably ofmetal, practically of the form shown in Fig. 1 except that an inwardlyextending flange, a, is formed at the outer edges of the side rims asindicated in Figs. 2, 6, 7 and 8, of sufficient width to cover the edgesof the bristle holder plates F and G, as indicated in Fig. 6.

. The plates Gr that support the bristle holders, are pivotallyconnected at one end with the sides of the frame, as at 9, so that theopposite ends may be moved toward and from the open face or front of theframe for carrying the bristles outward or inward in the frame, as maybe desired. These plates have a series of round holes, as 6, throughthem for the reception of the pivot pins y at the lower edges of thebristle holders E. The plates G, G are pivoted to the sides of the frameby passing the screws g, 9 through the sides of the frame and screwingthem into the holes a in said plates.

Sliding plates F, F are placed in the frame between the ends of thebristle holders E and the plates G, G and are provided with right angledslots, as f, f, through which the pivot pins j extends. The action ofthese plates is as follows: Vhile the pins or bearings j, at the loweredges of the bristle holders E pass through the slots f-f into the holes6 in the plates G, G the pins or bearings j, at the upper edges of thebristle holders E, being shorter than the pins 7', simply pass throughthe portions 7 of the slots ff and as the plates F F are drawn backwardin the frame A the portions 7 of the vslots allow the plates to movepast the pins j and the pins 7" are caused to slide downward in theslots f.

The lower edges of the bristle holders being anchored in the holes 6,the bristle holders will be forced to swing on the pins j j and pivotssothe bristles K will be carried to the position represented in Fig. 7, orfolded inside of the frame A. The opposite movement of the plates F, Fwill carry the bristles back into the position indicated I in Fig. 8, bya simple reverse action of the pins j and j in the slots ff and theholes 6. The positions of the pins in the portlon 5 7 of the slots f-f"causes the plates F and G to be always held in the same relativepositions laterally so that the free ends of these plates must alwaysmove relatively upward and downward together.

10 The bristle holders E are held in normal position, with the bristlesat right angles to the frame, by the use of a suitable spring, asindicated at L in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, and the bristle holders are thrownover to carry the bristles to the position shown in Fig. 7 by pullingthe handle B longitudinally away from the body A. For the purpose offorming a space between the end of the handle and the first adjacentbristle holder to receive the bristles carried by said holder a shortslot, as f, is formed in the end of each of vthe slides F, F in whichthe pins or screws 0, which are screwed into the side arms of the metalframe C at each side thereof are made to travel. The slots f are madeupon an incline so that when the handle B is drawn outward from the bodyA the ends of the platesF and G will be carried downward so the bristleholders will 80' be held in a row diagonally of the sides of the brushframe so that all points of the bristles may be stored below the edgesof the sides of the frame.

The metal frame 0 is made to fit closely,

and yet to slide freely between the two sides of the frame A, and shouldextend far enough into the frame to insure a strong support for thehandle B, to which it'is firmly secured, as by the screws 1), b, as

40 indicated in Fig. 1.

To hold the handle firmly in place when in position to cause thebristles to stand at right angles with the brush frame, I pivotallysecure a latch H to the support'C, of

the frame G, as at h, so the hook i at the inner end will engage aproperly arranged opening in the back of the brush frame, as indicatedin Fig. '8, and form a right angled handle having a button I at theother end in position so that by pressing downward on the button thehook i will be drawn out of its opening to permit the handle to be drawnaway from the frame, as hereinbefore stated, and for the purpose setforth.

2" represents a spring for holding the latch in normal position with thehook i against the surface of the back of the frame A, and forcing itthrough the opening in said back, as indicated in Fig. 8. This means ofsecuring the handle B in the desired position is given, only as anillustration of how the result maybe attained, and not as the only meansby which it may be done, oras the means exclusively adopted by me forthe purpose. i 1

7 I prefer that the pins j on the bristle holder E, that are designed toenter the holes.

6 e in the plates G, G be integral, or in one piece or in other words,that a rod J be passed through the entire length of the bristle holderwith the ends projecting far enough to form said pins or bearings j, j.

It will be readily understood that with all of the bristle holdersanchored in the plates G, G with the pins y" engaged in the slots 7",and the pins j engaging the holes e in the plates G, all the bristleholders must move in unison, and that butone spring L will be necessaryto carry all bristle holders and bristles into position at right angleswith so the frame.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is:

1. In a toilet brush, a'; sheet metal frame having the sides'and one endclosed and a narrow rim turned inward from the upper edges of the sidesand end, a sheetmetal plate pivotally connected at one end to each sideof the frame and provided with a series of holes for the reception ofthe pivotal pins J on the bristle holders, bristle holders having twopins projecting outward from each 1 end, a slide at each side of thebrush between the ends of the bristle holders and the pivotal plates,and having right angled slots therein, the pivotal pins at the ends ofthe bristle holders passed through said slots and one of said pins ateach end passing 7 through the holes in the pivotal plates forming fixedpivotal bearings for the holders, and the other pins at the ends of theholders made to slide in the vertical arm of the right angled slots,andmeans for moving the slotted slides endwise to adjust the bristleholders to hold the bristles in different positions.

2. In a toilet brush, a frame made of sheet metal with the sides and oneend closed, inwardly extending fiangesat the upperedges thereof, a platepivotally secured at one end to each side of the frame and provided witha line of holes near the lower edges, 'a'slide', located at the. side ofeach of the pivotal plates and made longitudinally movable thereon andhaving right angled slots with the corner openings opposite the holes inthe pivotal plates, and also having a diagonal slot near the adjustableend of each slide, bristle holders mounted in said-slides by means of aset of pins on each holder passing through the slots in the slides andinto the holes in the pivoted plates, and one pair of pins passingthrough thevertic'al slots in the'inner slides, a longitudinally movablehandle slidingly mounted in the frame, pins connected with said handleand passing through the diagonal slots in the slides, in such a mannerthat the longitudinal movement of the handle'will cause the ends of theplates to move laterally and will draw the slides longitudinally toadjust the positions of the bristle holders.

3. In a toilet brush, a sheet metal frame having the back, sides and oneend closed, plates pivotally connected at one end with the inner surfaceof the sides and having a line of holes near one edge, longitudinallymovable slides connected with the pivotal plates and having properlyformed slots therein, bristle holders having pivot-pins projecting fromthe ends in position to engage the slots in the slides and the holes inthe pivoted plates, a longitudinally movable handle so connected withthe longitudinally movable slides as to cause the plates to swing ontheir pivotal bearing and the slides to move longitudinally to adjustthe bristle holders to desired positions, and means for locking thehandle in position in the frame.

at. In a toilet brush, a frame having the sides and one end closed, aplate pivotally connected at one end with each side of the frame andhaving a row of holes near one edge, a longitudinally movable slideconnected with each of the pivoted plates and having specially formedslots through them, means connected with said pivoted plates to move oneend thereof edgewise and the longitudinally movable slides lengthwise,bristle holders so connected with said slides and plates as to be madeto revolve part of a revolution by the longitudinal movement of theslides, substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a toilet brush, a hollow frame, a plate pivoted at one end to eachside of the frame and having a row of holes near one edge, alongitudinally movable slide connected with each of the pivoted platesand having specially formed slots through them, bristle holders, pins atthe ends of said bristle holders pivotally connecting them with thepivoted plates, pins at the ends of the bristle holders slidablyconnected in the slots in the longitudinally movable slides, a handle soconnected with the slides and plates as to form or close an openingbetween the first bristle holder and the end of the handle and at thesame time to shift the" bristle holders from a right angle to ahorizontal position with the back of the brush frame, and to shift thefree end of the plates edgewise.

6. In a toilet brush, the combination of a hollow frame, open at oneside, two plates arranged within the frame and pivotally connectedadjacent one end to opposite edge walls thereof, bristle holdersextending transversely across the frame and each having at its endsprojections engaging said plates and constituting pivots for saidholders, actuating plates arranged between the pivoted plates and theends of the bristle holders and provided with slots through which thepivot pins of the bristle holders extend, the actuating plates engagingthe bristle holders to turn them about their said pivots, and means formoving the actuating plates to both rock the plates supporting thebristle holders about their pivots and each of the individual holdersabout its pivotal connection with said plates.

7. In a toilet brush, the combination of a hollow frame, open at oneside, two plates arranged within the frame and pivotally connectedadjacent one end to opposite edge walls thereof, bristle holdersextending transversely across the frame and each having at its endsprojections engaging said plates and constituting pivots for said holders, sliding plates arranged between the pivoted plates and the bodiesof the bristle holders and provided with slots through which the pivotsof said holders extend, means for turning the bristle holders on theirpivots as the sliding plates are reciprocated, and means whereby thepivoted plates and bristle holders supported thereby are moved towardand from the open side of the frame as the sliding plates arereciprocated.

8. In a toilet brush, the combination of a hollow frame, open at oneside, two plates arranged within the frame and pivotally connectedadjacent one end to opposite edge walls thereof, bristle holdersextending transversely across the frame and each having at both ends twoprojecting pins, the pins adjacent the closed side of the frame engagingthe pivoted plates and constituting pivots for the bristle holders,sliding plates arranged between the pivoted plates and the ends of thebristle holders, and provided with slots through which the pivot pins ofthe bristle holders extend, whereby the sliding plates may bereciprocated relative to said holders and pivoted plates while connectedto the latter by said pivot pins,

the sliding plates engaging the other pins on the bristle holders,whereby the several bristle holders will be individually rocked upontheir pivots as the sliding plates are reciprocated, and means wherebyas the sliding plates are reciprocated all of said parts will besimultaneously moved about the pivots of the pivoted plates toward orfrom the open space of the frame.

Signed at Grand Rapids, Michigan, July 12, 1915.

WILLIAM H. BRIDGES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

